Per the Post Register today, there is a very real possibility that the City of Idaho Falls is about to raise property taxes. The PR estimate was a $23 annual increase on a home worth $150,000.
Why the need for the increase? Was the recent 2.86% levy decrease a bit premature?
The article mentions that the mayor has his pet projects to fund, as do members of the City Council. They don’t always agree, of course. Some projects that need funding will go without (and therefore not be done) if we don’t have the money to pay for them.
The weird thing is that while some projects are on the chopping block, the proposal is to increase the charitable contributions the city makes by 20% to more than $566,000. I’m a person who likes to be charitable, but I don’t usually give unless my own bills are paid and my basic needs are met. I’m a little selfish that way…and I really prefer my government (be it city/county/state/federal) operate in the same manner, to take care of our own requirements first, before we offer charity to others.
Of course, I’m a little more tolerant of urgent needs, and willing to make some sacrifices if someone else has an emergency…but these charitable contributions made by the City are not to help resolve an emergency need.
So, did you read the story? Do you have an opinion on the idea of raising our property taxes? What projects would you prefer to see funded, if you had input? Which projects would you eliminate entirely, or cut back on?
Popularity: 11%
Related posts:
- Property Taxes Due
- The questionable and irresponsible spending habits of the Idaho Falls City Council.
- Meet Alex Creek – Candidate for Idaho Falls City Council, seat 4
- “Line-Drive for Food” Charity Baseball Event to Feature Billy Butler of the Kansas City Royals
- Liberals or Conservatives- Who Gives More???
Gato got runned over by Marcus many moons ago. Be ye daft, 2486? 
Let's have a new poll, alright, Joe?
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Conversely, would you be willing to give back that 2.86% decrease, so that we can have our projects funded AND have our charitable contributions, too?
I think I’d be willing to go there, myself.
“I’m a person who likes to be charitable, but I don’t usually give unless my own bills are paid and my basic needs are met. I’m a little selfish that way…”
I don’t consider that selfish. I call that smart. You can’t take care of others until you take care of yourself.
I would be in favor of this provided the money is spent wisely. I am not seeing that right now given the recent threads on the board. What projects did they mention? If everyone knows what projects they plan on putting the money towards, it may eliminate some rebellion.
BTW, good article.
Why does the city parks & rec need a “Medium” sized suv?…the supervisor needs a flashy rig to ride around in?. If the city could pony up $2 million for a new baseball field to keep Kevin Greene happy then why couldn’t they come up with the money for the special access playground. Funny how Green said if they didn’t get a new ball park then the ball club might have to find a new host city, with the Chuc’s record they should move to Bone to play.. I think 2 million would have gone a long way for city infrastructure back then. It seems to me the Mayor and Council are “Near” sighted as for long term planning for city issues. Has the Mayor and Council seen how many empty houses there are in the city?…thats a good chunk of tax base that they would be able to throw away. I think the Mayor needs to study up on his municpal management skills.
So lets see, the city leaders all go on a day pleasure trip to Island Park where they spend around $10,000 to decide to raise taxes. Doesn’t anyone else see the problem here. This is a city government throws out a lot of cheap talk about saving money through efficiency studies but then spends money like a drunken sailor on needless things. Don’t even get me started on the $2,000,000 they flushed away on the baseball field. And the city shouldn’t be giving a single dime to any charity until they can pay their own bills first.
And speaking of efficiency studies. Where are they? Let me inform the people of Idaho Falls why it is all just talk and bluster. The city hired a known corporate headhunter to come in and fix the money problems in the city. A few days after being hired this headhunter was hospitalized and remains there six months later unable to work. Yet the city is still holding the job open for her. Could that have anything to do with the fact that the headhunter in question is a close personal friend of the Mayors? Any other employee thus hospitalized would be out of a job by now, especially one who was a new hire and had no built up sick leave. There are no efficiency studies being done and there will not be any in the near future so long as the person hired to run them remains incapable of doing the job.
Is he just holding the job or paying her as well?
this whiny diatribe is a sad state of affairs.The city of IF is well run and if all you can complain about is such? you should see the real world city problems ie.Reno OKC, tacoma ,lakeland ,ammon etc then move.IF rocks
# 5 is just plain mean I wonder if factual not!!!
Well the most recent city news letter sent out to all employees talks about this person in the hospital and her recovery so its basically public information. It also states her name though I didn’t feel it relevant to say it here. She’s been in I.C.U. for six months now as stated in the newsletter and I think its time for the city leaders to move forward and fill her position. Especially since she only had the job for a few days prior to being hospitalized so its not like this is someone who has put in 30 years of loyal service and deserves loyalty. Point is that the job seems to be being held simply because she is a friend of the mayor, the man who hired her and its basically nepotism in action. This wasn’t some special job created just for her, the job is as the director of human resources (personnel) and she was hired to replace Randy Allen who retired last year. Just a very important job in the city which needs to have someone working it full time. Hoorah for Kelly, Randy Allen’s assistant, who has been filling in all this time but its time to either give Kelly the job or hire someone capable of doing it.
The most recent city newsletter talks all about the hospitalized director of human resources, if you know any city employees you can probably get a copy. Gives her name and pretty much everything but her specific condition which is very hush hush. She’s been in ICU for six months and only recently has been able to receive visitors. Kelly, the administrative assistant to the former director, has basically been forced to be the acting director of human resources ever since Randy Allen retired last year. I can’t see this whole situation as anything but nepotism since there is no way the job would be held for a non close friend of the mayor, a friend whom the mayor went to school with. Its time either to give Kelly the job or hire someone else. Maybe that sounds mean but its an important job and it needs someone in it who can do the job.
Sorry about the sorta double post. When the first didn’t show up I tried again only more briefly. Then the 2nd didn’t show up either.
I’ve been having that same issue with comments disappearing when I try to submit them, I emailed Joe E about it…
6 mos in icu i doubt employee can return or even would want to i hope she will be ok what bad luck
Thanks Neme.